Kalfin Most Mentioned MEP in Bulgarian Media

Ivaylo Kalfin is the most reported on BulgarianMEP by the country's media in 2013, while leading issues were the protests and the general elections.

The information comes from the annual report on Bulgarianmedia reportages on the work of the European Parliament in 2013. It monitors how and how much the press and electronicmedia report both EP's work and the one of Bulgarian MEPs.

Kalfin is followed by Iliyana Yotova, Slavi Binev and Nadezhda Neynski. Marusya Lyubcheva is at the bottom of the ranking, but it is noted that she is a MEP only since June 2013, when Kristian Vigenin was appointed Foreign Minister in the new government.

The report was presented Thursday by its author, Nikoleta Daskalova, from the Foundation Media Democracy.

Daskalova says that in the light of the upcoming EP elections there are three levels of importance of this vote: they will be a clear indication of voters' support of different political parties inside the country; the new EP will designate the next President of the European Commission which doubles their importance; they will be a decisive battle between EU-sceptics and EU-optimists.

The report also notes an increased interest in Bulgaria in EU themes.

Influential BulgarianMEPIvaylo Kalfin recently made headlines in his homeland by announcing he would lead the European elections ballot of the revived ABV movement of former two-term Bulgarian President and former leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), Georgi Parvanov.

Both Parvanov and Kalfin have been accused by the BSP leadership of splitting the party.

Kalfin, a former Foreign Minister in the Socialist-led Three Way Coalition government of Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev (2005 – 2009) was elected MEP precisely on the socialist ballot.

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Europe Votes 2014

About Europe Votes 2014

Across Europe, voters in 27 countries are going to the polls to choose a total of 736 MEPs to represent them for the next five years. But what are they all voting for, or against? Are they driven by the desire to find their own voice in the union, or simply to punish their government at a time of economic crisis? Read comment on the passion and fury - not to mention indifference - across a continent from Paris to Warsaw.